Vanilla Pecan Sand Castle Recipes

VANILLA-PECAN SAND CASTLE

Steps:

• Mix 2 1/2 pints ice cream in an electric mixer on medium-high speed until smooth. Quickly spoon ice cream into a 5 1/2 cup (5 1/2-by-5-inch) sand-castle mold, filling completely. Smooth surface. Cover with plastic wrap. Freeze until set, at least 10 hours (or up to 3 days).
• Trim domed top from the chilled yellow butter cake to make it level. Cut cake in half horizontally. Place the bottom layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Mix remaining ice cream with the electric mixer until smooth.Working quickly, spread about 2 1/2 cups ice cream over bottom layer; top with second layer. Spread remaining ice cream over top and sides of assembled cake. Chill in freezer until set, at least 4 hours (or overnight).
• Process cookies to form fine crumbs. Mound crumbs on a serving platter, reserving 1/4 cup for garnish. Reserve 16 pecan halves for garnish; break remaining nuts into small pieces.
• Transfer assembled square cake to the platter, centering it on top of the crumbs. Dip castle mold into a bowl of lukewarm water for about 15 seconds, being careful not to let water reach the rim. Pat mold dry. Remove plastic wrap; unmold ice cream castle onto the center of cake.
• Working quickly, line edges of castle with pecan halves and pieces. Chill cake in freezer at least 1 hour (or up to 5). Just before serving, sprinkle reserved cookie crumbs over castle. Let stand at room temperature 5 minutes before cutting.

CINNAMON AND VANILLA CANDIED PECANS

Steps:

• 1. Put pecans and oil in a flat baking pan; stir until pecans are coated. Roast in 300 degree oven for 20 to 25 minutes, stirring frequently. Cool. Do not roast at a higher temperature or overcook -they will become bitter. (SEE NOTE BELOW.)
• 2. Combine sugar, cinnamon, salt and water in a saucepan; cook, stirring over medium heat until sugar is dissolved.
• 3. Boil to 236 degrees of a candy thermometer, or to soft ball stage*. FYI: Tonight I decided that I'd time the candied mixture (both times I made it) and from the time it started boiling until it reached the soft ball stage was only 4 minutes (and it only took about 4 minutes on medium to start boiling). So -in about 8 minutes from mixing it in the saucepan until you remove it from the heat and stir in the Vanilla and Pecans -you have a wonderful confection! Just thought I'd let you know that it isn't time nor labor intensive -just good.
• 4. Remove from heat; blend in vanilla. Add pecans and stir until mixture is creamy (and loses its sheen). Turn out onto waxed paper and use a fork to separate pecans.
• 5. * TO TEST FOR SOFT BALL STAGE: If you do not have a candy thermometer, drop a small amount of syrup into chilled water. When it forms a ball, but is soft enough to flatten when picked up with fingers (234 to 240 degrees), it will be to the soft ball stage.
• 6. NOTE: You can skip the roasting step if you are in a hurry. However, if you taste the candied pecans that have been roasted and ones that have not been roasted, you will prefer roasting them before cooking on the stove -the flavor is so much richer.
• 7. ENJOY!!

YELLOW BUTTER CAKE FOR VANILLA-PECAN SAND CASTLE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9-inch square cake pan. Line bottom with parchment paper; butter parchment. Dust pan with flour, and tap out excess. Sift cake flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt together into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.
• Add eggs, milk, and vanilla to flour mixture. Mix on low speed until almost combined. Mix in the melted butter. Raise speed to medium. Mix until smooth, about 30 seconds.
• Transfer batter to prepared pan. Bake until a cake tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 40 minutes. Let cool in pan on a wire rack. Run a knife around edges to loosen. Invert, and unmold onto wire rack. Peel off parchment. Flip cake; let cool completely. If using cake for the Vanilla-Pecan Sand Castle, wrap cake in plastic, and refrigerate until cold, up to 2 days (or freeze up to 1 week).

LAMINGTONS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Butter two 9-by-13-inch baking pans; line bottoms with parchment; butter parchment. Dust with flour; tap out excess; set pans aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add vanilla and eggs, one at a time; beat until incorporated.
• Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt; add to egg mixture in three additions, alternating with the milk and beginning and ending with the flour mixture.
• Divide batter between prepared pans. Place in oven; bake until a cake tester inserted into middles comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Cool slightly on wire racks; remove from pans. Turn out cakes onto racks; cool completely.
• Spread one of the cooled cakes with the jam; place other cake on top. Using a serrated knife, trim edges of sandwiched cakes; cut into 24 two-inch squares.
• Place the coconut in a medium bowl; set aside. Place the bowl of chocolate icing over a saucepan filled with 2 inches of gently simmering water. Place a jam-filled cake squarein the bowl of chocolate icing; using forks to turn the square, coat all sides.
• Allow excess icing to drip off; transfer square to bowl of coconut (left bottom). Using clean forks to turn square, coat it with coconut. Transfer coated square to wire rack to stand until coating has set, about 15 minutes. Continue until all squares have been coated.

PECAN SANDIES COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 300°. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add water and vanilla; mix well. Gradually add flour; fold in pecans. , Roll dough into 1-in. balls. Place on ungreased baking sheets and flatten with fingers. , Bake 20-25 minutes or until bottom edges are golden brown. Cool on a wire rack. When cool, dust with confectioners' sugar.

HOMEMADE SANDCASTLES

Steps:

• In a saucepan, combine flour and sugar. Gradually add cold water; mix well. Cook and stir over low heat until mixture thickens to pudding consistency. , Place sand in a large pail; stir in flour mixture. When cool to the touch, mix together with your hands, adding more water if needed so that sand holds its shape. Firmly pack into molds. Invert on a flat surface; remove molds. , Let dry completely before handling. Depending on the humidity, this may take a few days., To create a centerpiece, weave rope between the sandcastles; fill in with sand, rocks and seashells., Editor's Note: The sand mixture will keep for weeks when stored in an airtight container.

FAR BRETON

Steps:

• Place eggs, milk, sugar, salt, vanilla, salt, and melted butter in a blender or food processor and blend for 1 minute. Add flour, and pulse several times. Pour batter into a pitcher, cover, and refrigerate for 3 hours, or preferably overnight.
• Meanwhile, place prunes, raisins, and 1/4 cup water in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook until water is almost evaporated. Turn off heat and pour Armagnac evenly over fruit. Using a long, lighted match, ignite the alcohol and stand back until the flame dies out. Pour the fruit and its liquid into a heatproof bowl, and set aside. If using tea, place prunes and raisins in a heatproof bowl and pour tea evenly over fruit. Let cool to room temperature, cover, and set aside.
• Place rack in center of the oven and preheat to 375 degrees. Butter an 8-by-2-inch round cake pan, line the bottom with parchment or wax paper. Butter the paper and dust the pan with flour, tapping out any excess. Place the pan on a baking sheet.
• Remove batter from refrigerator and whisk to reblend. Forcefully tap the bottom of the pitcher on your work surface to break any top bubbles. Pour batter into prepared pan. Add the fruit, evenly distributing it within the batter; discard any remaining soaking liquid. Bake until top of the cake is puffed and brown and a thin knife inserted into the center comes out clean, 50 to 60 minutes. Transfer pan to a wire cooling rack and cool to room temperature.
• To unmold, place a piece or parchment or wax paper over the wire cooling rack and dust with confectioners? sugar. Have your serving plate ready. Run a blunt knife between the cake and the sides of the pan and gently turn cake out onto the prepared rack; quickly invert onto the serving plate. Dust with more confectioners? sugar just before serving.